


The Mysterious Stranger

by angylinni



Category: Trixie Belden Mysteries - Julie Campbell Tatham & Kathryn Kenny
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-22
Updated: 2011-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-27 20:14:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/299619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angylinni/pseuds/angylinni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trixie Belden has a nose for trouble and when she meets Simon Parker, nothing about him seems right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Mysterious Stranger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [swmbo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/swmbo/gifts).



As Trixie struggled against the ropes holding her tightly to a chair in Mrs. Huddleston's basement, she thought for the millionth time that she should've left a note or something letting Jim know where where she'd gone when she'd left the office in such a rush. So caught up finding out more about Simon Parker, she'd blocked out everything else. The petty criminals and dead beat parents that made up the bulk of her cases at the Belden Detective Agency hadn't prepared her in the slightest for the likes of Parker. From the second she'd laid eyes on him yesterday, he'd rubbed her the wrong way.

~*~

“Oh, hello dears,” Mrs. Huddleston said as the maid escorted Trixie Frayne and Honey Belden into her sitting room. The maid backed discreetly out of the room as the girls entered. Trixie carried a gaily wrapped fruitcake and Honey cradled a velvet wrapped bottle of wine.

“Hullo, Mrs. H,” Trixie said, stepping forward to place the fruitcake on the low table in front of the older woman. “We brought you some of Moms famous fruitcake.”

“And my parents sent along a delightful Muscat to go along with it,” Honey chimed in as she followed Trixie in sitting down on the stiff, cream damask sofa. She glanced around the room and smiled. It was beautifully decorated but so out of date, much like the woman that sat across from them. Mrs. Huddleston was one of Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson's grand dames, a remnant from when the small village was host to the wealthy wishing to escape the confines of nearby New York City.

“You girls are too kind to an old woman,” Mrs. Huddleston said as she reached for the small bell sitting on the edge of the table. Lifting it, she rang it lightly. Her maid appeared seconds later.

“Yes, Ma'am?”

“Take these into the kitchens, and bring us some tea and biscuits.”

As the maid bobbed a curtsey, a tall, handsome man entered the room behind her, his eyes darting swiftly over the two young women before settling on Mrs. Huddleston. “Now love, you know you aren't supposed to be eating those sugar laden biscuits,” he said as he sat down on the arm of her wing chair, his hand curling possessively around her wrinkled one.

“Oh posh,” Mrs. Huddleston said, but her cheeks pinked and she preened under his gaze. Turning back to Trixie and Honey, she cleared her throat and smiled widely. “Girls, I'd like you to meet my darling boy, Simon Parker. Simon, this is Trixie and Honey.”

Trixie and Honey stared silently at the tall, darkly handsome man as he squeezed Mrs. Huddleston's fingers lightly before rising and holding out his hand to Trixie.

Honey recovered first, reaching out to clasp his hand as Trixie continued to stare, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Parker. I'm Honey Belden, my parents are Mrs. Huddleston's neighbors up the road, the Wheelers.” As she spoke, she elbowed Trixie surreptitiously, pulling her from her shocked stupor.

Simon released Honey's hand and smiled, but the sentiment didn't reach futher than the corners of his lips. “So pleased to meet you, Mrs. Belden,” he said silkily, his thumb sliding over the large solitaire diamond of her wedding ring as his hand slid free.

“And I'm Trixie Frayne. My husband Jim is Honey's older brother and the sheriff of Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson.”

Simon's smile was frosty as he grasped Trixie's hand. “Pleased to meet you as well, Mrs. Frayne.”

Trixie nearly rolled her eyes at his dead fish grip, but she smiled and leaned slightly to the left. “How do you know Simon, Mrs. Huddleston?”

The old woman frowned slightly and Simon quickly stepped back to her side, sliding his arm around her frail shoulders. “He's my business manager. He came up here with some papers for me to sign last week and we got on so well that I've been loathe to let him out of my sight.”

“Now love, you know you've been so lonely up here in this big house, all alone. I wish you'd come into the city with me so I can keep a better eye on you. I do worry about you all alone out here in the wild.”

Trixie snorted under her breath. He certainly was laying it on a bit thick. Sleepyside hadn't been the wilds in several decades, the sprawling growth of the city threatening to swallow them whole. “You don't have to worry about Mrs. H, we take good care of all our neighbors, and Jim makes the rounds weekly to make sure everything is okay.”

Simon's expression was stoney as he turned to stare at her. “I hardly think that a once a week visit by a very busy sheriff counts as keeping a good eye on someone.”

Honey cleared her throat softly. “Trixie didn't say that only Jim was visiting, we make someone stops by once a week.”

Simon sniffed haughtily. “Well, that can change now that I'm here, darling Fiona doesn't need anyone but me making sure that she's doing fine, right love?” Mrs. Huddleston looked up at him with such an adoring look that Trixie choked on her tea. As Honey pounded her on the back, Mrs. Huddleston ignored them both completely, utterly absorbed in the man perched on the arm of her chair.

“I think it's time we left,” Honey said as she rose gracefully to her feet. “We have several more deliveries to make.”

Trixie muttered an assent and rose from the couch, her brow furrowed as she stared at Simon Parker and the obviously besotted Mrs. Huddleston. “We'll see you at the square tonight, Mrs. H.”

Mrs. Huddleston turned her head, a puzzled expression on her face. “The square, why would I go to the square?”

Simon glared at Trixie. “Surely she's too old to go traipsing downtown in this cold,” he said.

“It's a tradition and Mrs. H is the one giving the check for the donated toys to the local marines,” Trixie replied just as coldly. “She's the chair of the committee and has been planning it for months.”

“Oh, yes,” Mrs. Huddleston broke in suddenly, a flush coming to her cheeks. “I'd forgotten to mention it to you Simon, but I simply must be there.”

“It's okay love, we'll make sure you get there and stay toasty warm,” he said, clasping her hand even as he glared across the table at the two young women. “Gail can see you both out, good day.”

Honey grabbed her hand, dragging her from the room before she could really let Mr. Simon Parker have it but good. They walked quickly to the front door, the maid hurrying up the hallway to show them out. “I'm sorry, I didn't realize your visit would be so short.”

“We didn't either, but Mr. Parker had other ideas.”

Gail was too good of an employee to let her true feelings show, but the tightening of her lips told Trixie that the other woman didn't much care for him either. “I'll make sure Mrs. Huddleston is at the square promptly at six-thirty to deliver the check, it was all she could talk about until her visitor came last week.”

“Thanks, Gail. I'll send Jim around to check in later as well,” Trixie said as she pulled on the coat that Gail handed her.

Honey buttoned up her jacket tightly and smiled at the maid. “I'm sure he'll head back to the city after the holidays and everything will be back to normal again. Thank you again.” The maid nodded and held open the door for them, shutting it only after they'd made their way down the steps to the driveway.

Trixie waited until the door shut behind them before she exploded. “Do you believe the nerve of that guy? Jeepers Honey, he was the worst!”

“He was,” Honey agreed, tugging her woolen scarf up around her ears. The wind was whipping fiercely and they had a long walk down the drive to where they'd left her Subaru.

“As soon as we get back to the office, I'm calling Jim and having him come out here. There's something going on, I just know it!”

~*~

“I know it sounds crazy Jim, but I swear there's something going on!” Trixie rolled her eyes and pointed to the receiver, spinning her finger around in circles by her ear as Honey shook her head. “Just go out there, please?”

Satisfied finally with the answer her husband gave her, Trixie hung up the phone and sighed, raking a hand through her short, sandy blond curls. Her hair had been in the same style for nearly her entire life, short and curly. She'd tried growing it out in college when long hair had been the rage and ended up cutting it off as soon as it'd gotten to her neck because it was just too poofy. At least with it short, it was up and out of her face, plus it made it easier to don disguises for the infrequent times she had to go on stakeouts for her clients. “Finally, getting him to go along with my suggestions isn't as easy as it used to be,” she said, picking up her pen and making some notes on the legal pad in front of her. “That man is as stubborn as the day is long.”

Honey's laughter pealed through the office. When Trixie looked up, a peeved expression on her face, it only made her laugh harder, doubling over in her chair as tears streamed down her face.

“What exactly is so funny, Honey Belden?” Trixie asked with a scowl.

“You, Trixie! Jim is stubborn? Look in the mirror! And if my brother is stubborn about going along with your,” she made air quotes, “suggestions, then it's probably because being married to you has made him that way. Don't you remember all the trouble we used to get into and Jim and Brian had to help us out of it? Even Mart and Diana didn't get into as much trouble as we did together.”

Trixie's frown deepened. “I'm not that bad,” she muttered, looking back down at her paper.

“Oh Trixie, you know I couldn't love you more if you were really my sister,” Honey said, getting up and going over to the other desk. “Besides, if I can't tell you the truth, who can?”

Trixie laughed in spite of herself. “I love you too Honey and yeah, I guess I can be a little much sometimes, but this time I just know something is going on. Call my crazy, but I'll stake my license that Simon Parker is up to no good with Mrs. H.”

“I believe you,” Honey said, shuddering as she thought of the good looking but icy cold man they'd met a few hours ago. “I’ve never met anyone that I disliked so quickly in my life.”

“So I'm not crazy?”

Honey laughed again, giving her friend a quick hug. “I didn't say that, Trix,” she said, releasing her and going to pick up her purse from her desk. “I've got to go, I have to go and pick up the twins and make sure they have dinner before we head to the Square.”

Trixie sighed and nodded, picking her pen up again. “Yeah, and I've got some digging to do. I'm going to make some calls, see if any of my friends from the city can get me some information on Mr. Parker.”

“Good luck and I'll see you tonight!” Honey called as she pushed open the glass door to the small offices of the Belden Detective Agency.

Trixie watched her go and then reached for the phone, dialing in the first of what was going to be several phone calls.

~*~

“Afternoon, Gail,” Sheriff Jim Frayne said as Mrs. Huddleston's maid answered the door. “Is Mrs. H available?”

Gail nodded, pulling open the door so the tall redhead could enter the house. “Afternoon Sheriff. She's in the study, getting ready for later tonight.”

Jim smiled at the small, brunette that had worked for Mrs. Huddleston for the past six years. “I thought I'd just drop in and see if she needs a ride into town tonight.”

“Let me tell her you're here,” Gail said as she shut the door behind him and took his coat, hanging it up on the tree next to the door. Jim followed her into the sitting room, smiling at the old woman dozing in a blue velvet wing chair in front of the fire.

“Mrs. Huddleston,” Gail said, going over to her and gently shaking her shoulder. “Sheriff Frayne is here to see you.”

The old woman awoke with a jerk, a frown marring her features as she looked around in a panic. When her gaze settled on her maid, she inhaled sharply. “I must have dozed off.”

Gail glanced over at Jim before speaking once more. “Mrs. Huddleston, Sheriff Frayne is here, he'd like to know if you want him to give you a ride to the ceremony tonight.”

“What? What ceremony?”

“The donation ceremony, Mrs. H,” Jim said, moving forward so she could see him. “I know you're looking forward to handing over the check to the Marines, so I thought I'd come out and offer you a police escort into town.”

“Check? Marines? What's going on Gail? Why is the Sheriff here?”

Jim's concerned gaze met Gail's and she shrugged her shoulders. He frowned, realizing that Trixie had been onto something when she'd pestered him to come out here. “Mrs. H? Why don't we get you into the car and I'll drive you down to see Doc Belden. You just don't sound like yourself.”

“What is going on here?”

Jim and Gail spun around at the imperious question. Simon Parker was striding rapidly into the sitting room, a cup of tea in his hand. He stared hard at Gail as he walked to the table beside the wing chair and set the steaming cup down. “I asked you what was going on, Miss Perkins.”

“Sheriff Jim Frayne,” Jim said, stepping between Gail and the newcomer, holding out his hand. “I don't think we've met.

The tall, dark haired man stared down at Jim's extended hand and then pinned the maid with a sharp glare. “Miss Perkins?”

“The Sheriff stopped by to see if Mrs. Huddleston wanted a police escort to the ceremony this evening,” Gail said stiffly.

Simon's gaze darted back to the tall redhead. “I suppose you're the Jim that obnoxious Trixie was talking about earlier. I told her it wasn't necessary to send anyone out, I'm taking good care of Fiona.”

Jim's smile never faltered as he retracted his hand, staring hard at the other man. “Trixie was just concerned about Mrs. H, she's quite the grand dame around here. Like I said, I don't believe we've met, you are?”

“Simon Parker. I handle Fiona's estate.”

“Isn't Anastasia handling the estate?” Jim asked.

“Mrs. Shaw has retained my firm to look after her mother's interests.”

“Mr. Parker has been here for nearly two weeks,” Gail interjected.

“Your firm doesn't object to you being out here for that long?” Jim probed.

Simon sniffed haughtily. “Mrs. Huddleston and Mrs. Shaw are very important clients to our firm. Of course they don't mind that I'm spending time out here with her.”

“Are you also trained as a nurse, in addition to being a financial adviser?” Jim asked, his voice hard.

“What? Of course not. I'm just providing her with company, she's very lonely out here.”

“Why are you questioning him?” Mrs. Huddleston interrupted.

“Just curious,” Jim said, turning to bend down next to Mrs. Huddleston. “Mrs. H? Do you know who I am?”

“Of course I do, Sheriff. I'm not senile, you know!”

“I never thought you were, but you seemed awfully confused when I first arrived. I stopped by to see if you'd like a police escort to the ceremony at the Square.”

“No, that won't be necessary. Simon will drive me.”

“Fiona, love,” Simon said, crouching down to be at eye level with her. “We discussed this earlier. It's going to be very cold outside tonight. Don't you think it would be best if you stayed home and let one of your other committee members give the check to the charity?”

Mrs. Huddleston reached for his hand, patting it lightly. “Simon, you're so considerate of me. I do believe that it would be best for me to stay here tonight.”

Jim couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mrs. Huddleston would never let someone else have the spotlight for all the hard work she'd put in to make sure the needy children of Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson and the neighboring towns had a toy-filled Christmas. “Mrs. H, you know there's going to be a pavilion and heat lamps placed all over the Square.”

“No, Sheriff, Simon is right, my place is here,” she said, leaning closer to the man kneeling at her feet. “It's too cold out for an old woman like me.”

Jim sighed and rose. “Okay, it's your decision Mrs. H, but the kids and the rest of the committee are going to be disappointed that you won't be there to see the results of your hard work.”

“I think you need a rest, Fiona,” Simon interjected, drawing the old woman's attention back to him. “Let's get you upstairs and tucked into your bed for a good long nap.”

“Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Gail, please show the Sheriff out.”

“Yes, Mrs. Huddleston,” Gail said. “Sheriff Frayne, I'll just get your coat.”

“If you change your mind, Mrs. H, just call the office and I'll come out and get you,” Jim said before following Gail out of the room.

Gail was holding his coat as he walked into the foyer. “I don't know what's come over her, the ceremony was all she could talk about until Mr. Parker arrived. Now, she's just not the same.”

Jim frowned and nodded, slipping his heavy coat on as Gail pulled open the door. “I'll keep checking on her, something's not right here.”

“Thanks, Sheriff.”

Jim pulled his hat onto his head and walked quickly down the long drive to his SUV. Climbing inside, he lifted the hand-held radio and spoke quickly to dispatch as he drove away.

~*~

“Brian, it's the strangest thing,” Honey said as she put a plate of macaroni and cheese and chicken fingers in front of Lisa, one of her twins. “Mrs. H was the driving force behind the toy drive and now she couldn't care less about seeing all her hard work come to fruition.”

Brian laid his hand on his wife's shoulder as he set a glass of milk in front of Mike, their other child. “And you think this Simon Parker has something to do with it?”

Honey nodded, walking into the living room so the twins could eat without overhearing their conversation. “She's acting like a besotted teenager, not a widowed heiress who's been a power in this village for as long as I can remember.”

Brian shrugged, pulling her in for a hug. “Perhaps she's lonely and if this Parker guy is as slimy as you said he was, I'm sure he's playing that up for all it's worth.”  
Honey nodded against his shoulder. “I guess, I'm just worried about her, and so is Trixie.”

“Didn't you say Jim was going out there?” Brian asked as they pulled apart.

Honey nodded again. “Yes, Trixie browbeat him into checking up on her, but I'm glad she did.”

“Between the two of them, they'll figure out what's going on.”

“I hope so.”

~*~

“Okay, thanks Pete,” Trixie said, signing off the call. She blew out a frustrated breath. Ten phone calls and all she knew about Simon Parker was that he was a slimy suck-up that Marshall, Baldwin and Tucker employed to keep their older female clientele happy. He didn't have a criminal record – even his driving record was clear. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was rotten to the core.

The door to her office opened and Jim stepped inside, shaking snow from his hat onto the mat beside the door. “Hi Trix,” he said, walking over to give her a kiss.

She tilted her face up and wrapped her arms around his large shoulders as he kissed her heartily. “Mmm, I needed that,” she said as he pulled back, dropping a light kiss onto the tip of her nose.

“Me too,” he said, sitting in the chair next to her desk, long legs stretched out in front of him.

“So, I take it you met Mr. Parker?”

Jim frowned, scrubbing his face with his hand. “Yeah, he's a piece of work alright.” Trixie gave him her famous “I told you so” look and he laughed. “Go ahead, I know you're dying to say it.”

“No, it's enough that you know I was right,” Trixie said, laughing along with him. She sobered a few moments later. “I've tried every avenue I could think of and I can't find anything wrong with him other than he bugs the crap out of me.”

“He makes my skin crawl too,” Jim said, reaching out to clasp her hand lightly. “You'll keep digging and I'm going to be keeping an eye on him as well. Between the two of us, Mr. Parker isn't going to pull anything.” He rose from the chair. “I've got to get back to the office, we're setting up the stage and lamps on the Square for tonight.”

Trixie nodded, reaching for her pen and the phone once more. “I'll keep digging and meet you over there in about an hour or so.”

“Okay, don't get discouraged,” Jim said, leaning down for another quick kiss before slipping his hat back on.

“I'll try,” Trixie said as he stepped outside.

~*~

“On behalf of the Toys for Children Committee we'd like to thank all of Sleepyside-on-the-Hudson's generous donors and wish everyone a Merry Christmas! We'd like to welcome Sgt. Caleb Martin from Toys for Tots!” Peter Belden stood tall on the podium that Jim and his deputies had erected on the Square, a bright red Santa hat covering his gray hair.

The crowd erupted in loud cheers as the Marine rose from his seat on the podium. Mr. Belden handed him the microphone and stepped back. The Marine smiled widely. “The Marine Corps and the Toys for Tots program would like to thank everyone and especially the Toys for Children Committee for their generous donation. Without your help, hundreds of needy children would go without this Christmas. Thank you again and have a Merry Christmas!” He handed the microphone back to Mr. Belden and returned to his seat.

“Okay folks, we've got chili and hot chocolate being provided by the high school and lots of games for the kids to play. Santa will be here in a little while to greet everyone and make sure he knows exactly what's going on those lists for next week's delivery.”

Another round of cheers and then the crowd began to disperse to the various activities set up across the Square.

Trixie was standing on the side of the podium, Jim's long arms wrapped securely around her, keeping the cold at bay. She smiled at her father as he climbed down from the podium. “Looks like everyone is having a great time, Dad,” she said as he joined them.

“Yes,” Peter Belden said, “I just wish Fiona Huddleston had been here, she was really the one that got everything started.”

“Jim went out and offered her a ride into town but she let herself be convinced by that Simon Parker that it was best if she stayed home.”

Peter Belden's lip curled with distaste. “Ah, Mr. Parker. I met him last week when he came down to the bank to make sure everything was in order with her accounts.”

“What? Why would he have to look at her accounts?” Trixie asked.

“He's her financial manager and I think he just wanted me to know that he was the one in charge and the president of a small town bank was pretty much beneath his station.”

Trixie frowned. Mr. Parker was looking more and more suspicious. “You didn't let him change anything, did you Dad?”  
Peter Belden stared at his daughter. “Of course not. He's only authorized to look at the accounts, not make any changes. Only Fiona and Anastasia are allowed to make changes.”

“Good,” Trixie said, relieved. “I don't trust him Dad. He was so rude to Honey and I when we went out to deliver Moms fruitcake.”

“Who was rude?”

Trixie smiled widely as her mother joined the small group. She disentangled herself from Jim's arms and leaned into her mother, giving her a warm hug. “Moms! I was wondering when I'd see you.”

Helen Belden smiled warmly at her daughter. “I was helping Honey with the twins while Brian is holding down the fort at the chili station.”

“Speaking of that, I should get over there and help,” Jim said, giving his mother in law a kiss on the cheek. He turned back to Trixie. “I'll find you later?”

“I'll be around, most likely at the goodies booth, I offered to help out over there.”

“Okay, stay out of trouble,” he said as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head and smiled at his in-laws.

Trixie rolled her eyes as she watched his tall frame weave easily through the happy, milling crowd.

“He knows you well,” Peter said as he reached out to pull Trixie into a hug.

“Whatever Dad,” Trixie said, laughing. “It's not trouble when I fix things that are wrong.”

“You never did answer my question, Trixie. Who was rude to you?”

“Oh! Sorry Moms. We were talking about Mrs. Huddleston's house guest, Simon Parker. I don't think I've ever met someone as rude as he is.”

“Oh, I don't think I've met him,” Helen Belden said.

“You aren't missing anything,” Peter said, slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her close. “How about we head over to the games booth and see if they need any help?”

“I think that's a wonderful idea,” Helen said, smiling at her husband.

“I'll head over to the goodies booth then,” Trixie said, giving both of her parents warm hugs. “If I don't see you again tonight, I'll call you tomorrow.”

“Okay dear, have fun tonight.”

~*~

Trixie opened the door of her office and yawned as she stepped inside. Last night had been lots of fun but she hadn't gotten to bed until two am. She'd helped Jim and the deputies clean up the Square and put away the heat lamps so they wouldn't get damaged. They'd decided to leave the rest of the booths for today. He'd left the house early to make sure that everything was cleaned up so that the stores that ringed the Square could open for the holiday shoppers. She'd made them both coffee, kissed him and went into the office to see if she could find out any more about Simon Parker. Honey was home with the twins now that school was out for the holidays. Flipping on the lights, Trixie fought back another yawn as she set her coffee down on her desk. The message light was blinking on the machine and she reached over to press the button as she shrugged off her coat.

“Hi Trixie, Max here. I found out some information about that guy you were asking about. There isn't much. Either the guy is a saint or he's been living under a rock for the past twenty years. The only thing I could dig up on him was a complaint from a woman in California, but it was dismissed so the file has been purged. Let me know if I can be of any more help.”

“Damn,” Trixie said as the machine beeped, signaling the end of the message. “I guess I need to go out there and poke around some more.” She pulled her coat back on and picked up her mug, taking a sip of the steaming coffee. “Hope he's an early riser.”

~*~

Trixie decided to park her car a few feet past the driveway and walk up the long drive. Maybe she'd see something. As she took one last sip of her coffee, she shivered in the cold, morning air. It was really nippy out, and the clouds were so thick you could barely see the sky. It looked like they were in for more snow.

Walking quickly up the drive, she tucked her hands into her pockets and let her mind wander. Max had said the same thing that every one of her other contacts had said. Either Simon Parker hadn't done anything in his life or he was hiding his true identity. Everyone had some information out there, but she hadn't been able to find anything. At the very least, his bonding license for MS&T should've popped up, but she'd found nothing. Ringing the bell, she rubbed her hands together as she waited for Gail to open the door.

Her smile died on her lips as Parker pulled open the door. He stared at her in stony silence.

“I have some questions for you, Mr. Parker,” she said, straightening her shoulders.

“Of course you do,” he said with a sneer.

“Is Mrs. Huddleston here? And where is Gail?” Trixie put her foot up on the step.

“That's far enough,” Parker said coldly. “You're just full of questions, aren't you?”

“I think you need to get out of my way, Mr. Parker. I want to see Mrs. Huddleston and Gail.”

“And I think you need to leave,” Parker said, trying to close the door in her face.

Trixie put her hand out. “You don't have any right to tell me to leave. I want to see Mrs. Huddleston!”

“I don't think that's going to happen.”

Trixie whirled around but something hard struck her in the back of the head and she dropped like a stone.

“I can't believe that you couldn't be convincing enough to fool the neighborhood busybody.”

“I'm sorry love, she just wouldn't leave things alone.”

“I don't want to hear your excuses. Make yourself useful and tie her up and put her with the others in the basement. I'm tired of waiting, I want it finished today.”

~*~

Trixie woke with a groan, her head pounding. She blinked several times, trying to focus.

“Finally,” a voice said to her left.

She turned her head, wincing when a sharp shaft of pain lanced through her.

“Easy, you've probably got a concussion.”

“Gail?” Trixie said, coughing. “Where are you?”

“We're in the basement, Mrs. Huddleston is here too.”

“What happened?” Trixie said, trying to move. “Why am I tied up?”

“We're all tied up, Simon came in early this morning with a gun and forced us both down here. I can't seem to rouse Mrs. Huddleston.”

“Dammit,” Trixie said, struggling against her bonds. “I didn't tell anyone I was coming out here.”

“Oh,” Gail replied, her voice thick with tears. “I guess there's no hope then.”

“Don't say that, my husband is a great cop and he'll figure out where I am,” Trixie said with more confidence than she felt. As Trixie struggled once more against the ropes holding her she thought for the millionth time that she should've left a note or something letting Jim know where where she'd gone when she'd left the office in such a rush. So caught up finding out more about Simon Parker, she'd blocked out everything else. “My car! I left it at the bottom of the drive. He'll find it and figure out we're here!”

“You don't really think I'm stupid enough to leave your car where it can be found?”

Trixie's head whipped around and she moaned as pain shot through her once more. She blinked tears away as a circle of light descended into the gloomy basement. “Sarah?”

“I should've known that you'd find a way to stick your nose into things, and nearly mess everything up,” Sarah Shaw said as she came fully into the basement, a flashlight held loosely in her hand. Simon Parker stood behind her on the step, a gun in his hand.

“Sarah, what's going on?” Trixie pressed.

“Shut up! You've done enough!” Sarah motioned for Simon to move forward. “We'll save her for last, put her in her car and dump it into the lake. It's slick enough out that it'll look like she was going to fast on the curve and ended up in the water. Get my grandmother upstairs and into her bed.”

“Yes, dear,” Simon said, reaching for the frail form of Mrs. Huddleston.

“What's going on, Sarah?” Trixie said again as she continued to struggle against her bonds.

“I'll tell you what's going on,” Sarah said, shining the flashlight at her. “I'm tired of waiting for my inheritance, and I'm taking what I deserve. My mother and her latest boy toy are plowing through Europe spending it as fast as she can and if I don't do something, there won't be anything left.”

“So you're going to kill your grandmother?”

“With her gone, I'm the one in control of the estate. Grams never trusted my mother, knew she was too stupid to live without a keeper, so she made me the executor of her estate. Simon was here to make sure that everything went smoothly, which obviously didn't happen since you're here.”

“You really think you're going to get away with this?” Trixie said, shocked to her very core at the malice in the other woman's voice.

“Of course I'm going to get away with it,” Sarah said. “Your death will look like an accident and the fire that destroys this house will take care of Grams and Gail.”

“I don't want to die,” Gail moaned from the corner.

“Tough, you know too much, and it wouldn't make sense for Grams to be here without you.” She turned to look at Simon. “Hurry up! If we take much longer, someone's going to get suspicious!”

Simon hurried to the stairs with Mrs. Huddleston in his arms. He handed the gun to Sarah as he passed her and began to make his way up.

“Won't your mother suspect you when the money dries up?” Trixie asked.

“Frankly, I don't really care. I'm sure the accident that I've planned for her in the Alps will take care of whatever questions she has.”

“I can't believe that you're talking so easily about killing your grandmother and mother!” Trixie shouted.

“And I can't believe that I still have to listen to you!” Sarah said, stalking over to where Trixie was tied up. “Why didn't Simon gag you? Stupid man, he can't do anything right!”

“Actually, that's not entirely true,” Simon said, coming back down into the basement, a small black gun in his hand. “Once I get rid of you, I have the entire estate to myself.” He pulled the trigger just as Sarah lifted her own gun. A patch of red bloomed on her chest, right above her heart. She staggered and fell to the ground, blood bubbling out of her lips as she died.

“Now, I can get on with taking care of you and then get the hell out of this backwater village,” he said as he walked towards where Gail struggled against the ropes holding her to the chair. “You first, and then the mouthy one.”

“Freeze! Put the gun down!” Jim walked slowly into the basement, his gun held out in front of him. Simon spun around and Jim fired.

“Jim!” Trixie shouted as Simon fell, the gun going off.

“Trixie!” Jim yelled as he ducked and rolled towards her. He jumped to his feet and kicked the gun away from Simon's hand as he moaned on the floor, clutching his stomach. He grabbed his radio and began to speak rapidly into it. “This is Frayne, I need an ambulance at the Huddleston place asap!” Keeping his gun trained on the prone and moaning Parker, he made his way over to Trixie. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” she said, tears streaming down her face. “Mrs. H is somewhere upstairs. I didn't hear a shot so I'm hoping she's still alive. It was Sarah Shaw, she wanted her grandmother and mother out of the way so she could have her inheritance. She and Parker were working together but then he double crossed her and killed her.”

“Well, he'll have a long time to think about it in jail,” Jim said as two of his deputies came flying down the steps, their guns drawn. “Clear! Shooter is down!” As one of the deputies took care of Simon and the other went to untie Gail, Jim bent down and began untying his wife, scooping her up into a hug as soon as she was free. “Damn, you scared me, Trixie!” he breathed into her hair.

“I scared myself,” Trixie said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “We should check on Mrs. H,” she said as she pulled back, remaining in the circle of his arms, not willing to let him go just yet.

Jim lifted his radio. “Stebbins, check the upstairs for Mrs. Huddleston.”

“Willdo, Sheriff,” Stebbins replied.

"How did you find me?" Trixie asked softly.

"I went to the office, heard the message on the machine and figured out that you'd come here to find out why he didn't show up on anything," Jim said, running his hands up and down her back. "Next time we work together,” Jim said, hugging Trixie again.

“Together, always,” breathed Trixie, burying her face in his neck.


End file.
